Folding bed.



T. A. KILLMAN & J. R. STARK.

FOLDING BED.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.17, 1913.

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T. A. KILLMAN & J. R.- STARK.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1913. 1,087,497I Patented Feb. 17,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'I'. A. KILLMN & J. R. STARK. FOLDING BED.

APPLIGATION :FILED 111111.17, 1913.

1,087,497, Patented Feb.17,1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

o o 5 nav o j i@ 95 't 34 TED STATES ,PATENT THOMAS A. KILLMAN AND JOHN R. STARK, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FOLDING BED.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Application led March 17, 1913. Serial N o. 754,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS A.. KILL- MAN and JOHN R. STARK, citizens of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to folding beds, and has for one object the provision of a bed in which the head section is perfectly balanced at all times and the bed may be adjusted to different positions by the person occupying the same.

A further object of the invention is. to provide a bed having a head-board which may be utilized as a table or tray.

A further object of lthe invention is to improve, generally, the construction and arrangement ofparts of a folding bed to the end that the etliciency of the same may be increased, and the invention consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illust-rate what is now believed to be the best embodiment of the invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view .of the bed extended to support a person in a sleeping or horizontal position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the parts adjusted to supportthe occupant in a sitting position; Fig. 3 is -a side elevation showing the bed folded as it appears when not in use; Figs. 4c and 5 are detail sectional elevations of the track or support for the foot end of thespring frame or mattress; Fig. is a detail perspective view of the head-board.

In carrying out our invention, we employ a foundation or main supporting frame consisting of a pair of posts 1 connected by upper and lower cross bars 2 and a second pair of posts 3 which are somewhat taller than the posts 1 and are connected by cross bars Lland 5 disposed near their lower ends and at intermediate points of their heights, the said cross bars l and 5 being disposed in the same horizontal planes as the upper and lower cross bars 2, respectively, as will be readily understood. These pairs of posts are connected by upper and lower side bars 6 and are equipped with casters or rollers 7 so that the apparatus may be readily moved from point to point within a room.

These several posts and cross bars are constructed of metal to obtain the maximum strength with the minimum weight and size, and the upper cross and side bars as well as the posts are Constructed of channel iron for the same reason.

Pivoted to the upper ends of theposts 3 are the upper side bars 8 of the head frame and the lower side bars 9 of the head frame are likewise pivoted to the posts 3 near the lower ends thereof, these side bars 8 and 9 extending from the said posts and having their outer ends pivoted to supplemental legs or supports 10, which supplemental legs or supports are connected by cross bars 11 so that the structure will be rigid when in use. Pivoted to the posts 1 and extending away from the same are the upper side bars'12 and the lower side bars 13 which constitute the main portions of the foot frame of the bed and have their outer ends pivoted t0 the supplemental legs or supports 14 which are connected by cross bars 15 in the same manner and for the same reason that the supplemental legs 10 are connected by the cross bars 11. The lower and the said side bars are the inclined channel irons er tracks 19 which constitute supports and guides for the end of the spring or mattress frame. The inner ends of the upper side bars 8 of the head frame also form a part of the spring frame and are connected by linksr or intermediate bars 2O with the side bars 21 forming the foot portion of the spring or mattress frame, the said links or connectingbars 2O having their opposite ends pivoted to the ends of the side bars 8 and 21, respectively. The outer ends of the side bars 21 are connected by a cross bar 22 and upon the said cross bar 22, we seioo cure a bracket or stop 23 which prevents the mattress or other bedding slipping ofi the foot end of the bed.

rIhe side bars 8, 2O and 21 with the cross bars 22 and the upper cross bars 11 constitute the frame for the bed bottom 24 which may be of any desired form and is illustrated as consisting of intersecting wires or links and springs connecting the outermost wires or links with the sides and ends of the trame. The inner ends ot the lower side bars 9 ot' the head frame are pivoted to pitmen or levers 25 which extend upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and have their upper ends pivoted to the intermediate bars 20, as indicated at 26, adjacent the rear ends ot' the same. Pivoted to and rising Jfrom the said pitmen or levers 25, near the connection of the said levers with the side bars 9 at each side of the bed, are locking bars 27 which are rigidly connected by a cross bar or rod 28 and are provided with notches 29 in their edges adapted to engage pins or studs 30 on the upper side bars G of the main or foundation trame. The said bars 27 are provided with handles 3l at their upper ends so that they may be easily reached by a person occupying the bed.

Studs 32 are provided on the upper side bars 6 so as to prevent the locking bars being moved to too great an extent away from the studs 30 and proper engagement of the bars with the said studs in any set position is thereby assured. Coiled springs 3?) are secured to the upper cross bar 5 and to the lower cross bar ll and relieve the occupant of the bed from the necessity of exerting much torce in raising the head frame, the tension of the springs being greatest in the lowest position ot the frame and gradually decreasing as the frame rises and in any position is just sutticient to balance the weight ot the trame.

The head-board 34 is normally over the upper cross bar l1 ot the head trame, but is not secured rigidly thereto. Lever arms 35 are pivoted to the upper side bars S ot the head frame and at their outer ends carry a pivot rod 36 which passes through bearings or brackets 87 provided therefor on the inncr side of the head-board above the center of the same so that, it the said lever arms be swung about their pivotal points 8S, the head-board will swing inwardly between the said lever arms and be engaged and supported by the small brackets or stops 3f) on the said arms. The inner ends et the lever arms are extended beyond their pivots and are provided with notches 39 adapted to engage studs or pins l0 on the lower side bars 9 ot the head frame so that, it the headboard be swung over in front of the bed bottom as shown in Fig. 2, the studs 40 by their engagement with the notches 39 will support the head-board in the position to which it has been moved so that it may be used as a tray or reading or writing table. To prevent the head-board swinging inwardly over the bed bottom when the bed is to be used for sleeping purposes, clips or brackets 41 are secured to the lower edges of the head-board and are adapted to envgage the upper cross bar l1, while a button 42 is pivoted upon the said cross bar in position to extend over the head-board and hold it against movement beyond the cross bar.

The outer extremity ot the toot portion of the bed bottom is equipped with rollers 43 which ride upon the tracks or guides 19 and thereby permit the said foot portion of the bed bottom to move easily and readily and will support the said portion of the bed in any position to which it may be adjusted.

It is thought the uses ot the improved bed will be readily understood from the toregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

lVhen the several parts are extended, as shown in Fig. l, the apparatus may be utiliZed as an ordinary bed. It the person occupying the bed desires to assume a more upright position, he merely releases the locking bars from their engagement with the studs 30 and holds them disengaged with a slight downward pressure, while he assumes the desired position, subsequently rengaging the locking bars with the studs to maintain the adjustment. 1t does not make any ditte-rence whether the person occupying the bed is one of light weight or heavy weight, he is so perfectly balanced in all positions or angles that he can raise himself from a horii Zontal or sleeping position up to a perpen dicular position or sitting posture with practically no effort on his part, the action being very similar to that ot rocking in a well balanced rocking chair.

It will be noticed that the head portion of the spring frame 8 upper extremities of the extended posts 3 of the main frame so that the frame S is tree to turn on the bearings or pivotal points ai); also that the lower bar 9 is pivoted at 50 to the same upright posts 3 of the main trame as the bar 8 above; also that the extreme right-hand ends ot the bars 8 and 9 are connected to the upright posts lO. It will also be noticed that the hars 8 and 9 extend a distance to the left of the upright posts 3 of the main frame to pivotal points a7 and 4S where the bar S connects at il? to one end oit the side bar 20 which forms the middle or seat section of the spring frame. The letthand end of the bar 20 is connected at 2G and is supported by a pitman bar 25 which extends downward and rearward and is connected at 48 to the extended portion of the lower bar 9'. N ow it is evident that it weight be placed on the left-hand end of the bar S (which is a side bar of the head section ot the spring frame) or it weight be placed on the middle or seat section 2O of the spring frame it will have a tendency to cause the left-hand ends l? and i8 ot the bars 8 and 9 to move downward and with is pivoted atr4t9 to the s them the middle or seat section 2O of the spring frame and thereby cause the righthand ends of the bars 8 and 9, or, in other Words, the head section of the bed to move upward. However, if a suflicient weight be placed on the right-hand end of the bar 8 or head section to counterbalance the weight on the middle or seat sectio-n then the who-le system of frames and bars, together with the weight will become balanced on the pivotal points 49 and 50 and will have no tendency to move in either direction. But, if the least pressure be applied in either direction the head portion of the bed will move up or down according to the direction in which the pressure is applied, the whole turning on the pivotal points 49 and 50. Now this is exactly the condition that exists when a person occupies the bed. His head,

i shoulders and chest rest on the head section 8 or that portion to the right of the pivo-tal points 49 and 50, While his hips rest on the middle or seat section 20 and his legs and feet on the foot sect-ion 21, so that, when occupying a normal position on the bed his weight is so distributed on the right and left hand sides of the pivotal points ,49 and 50 that he becomes perfectly balanced on said points and on the slightest effort to rise after releasing the rods Q7 the head portion of the bed will rise with him to any position from aA horizontal or reclining position up to an upright or sitting posture so that it requires scarcely any effort on his part to rise up and sit up in the bed or lie down again, the whole action, as stat-ed above, being very similar to that of rocking in a nicely balanced rocking chair.

The distance between the pivotal connection of the upper side bars S with the posts 3 and the connection between said side bars and the bars 2O is greater than the distance between the pivots of the lower bars 9 and the connection of the same with the pitmen or levers 25. so that, when the head portion of the bed is raised, the inner ends of the bars S will describe a greater arc and move a greater distance than the inner ends of the lower bars 9, the result being that the bars `2O and 21 are drawn toward the head end of the bed and as the levers 25 are not extensible nor collapsible they will, as they follow the movement of the lower bars 9, exert a lifting force upon the rear ends of the connecting bars 2O so that said ends will be raised and the bars 2O and 21 will assume inclined positions, as cle-arly shown in Fig. Q. In Fig. 2, the parts are shown adjusted to permit the occupant to assume a natural sitting position. The head-board may be easily disengaged from the head frame by an attendant before the head frame is raised and the lever arms 35 then swung around so that the head-board will be supported in front of the head portion of the mattress or bed bot-tom and'in front of the occupant. t will be noted that any tendency of the main frame to tip over toward the head end of the bed when the parts are adjusted as shown in Fig'. 2 will be counteracted b-y the weight of the foot portion of the bed and the greater leverage exerted by the saine in its extended position, so that the bed may be used without any fear of accident, the studs 1'? and notches 16 holding the foot portion to the main frame in such a manner' that the main frame cannot tilt Without raising the foot frame. Y

`When the bed is not in use and it is desired to fold the same into ar small compass, the side bars 8 and 9 are swung upon their pivotal connect-ions With the posts 3 so as to assume positions approximately in the vertical plane of said posts, as shown in Fig. 3, and the foot portion of the bed is then swung upwardly toward the head portion, the side bars 21 and the cross bar connecting the outer ends of the same being first swung upwardly upon their pivot-al connections with the intermediate bars Q0 so as toassume a position above the said intermediate I bars. rlhe upward movement of the foot portion of the frame will cause the side bars 12 and 13 and the supplemental legs 14 to fold together into the vertical plane of the posts 1, as willr be readily understood from Fig. 8, ,and the foot plate or board 18 will extend over and meet the head-board 84, as shown. The foot-plate 18 and the headhoard 34 will thus effect a complete closure for the ,top of the folded structure which may then beutilized as a stool or may be set aside out of the way, as may be preferred. To prevent the opening of the folded structure, latches 44 are hung upon the ends of the foot-plate 18 and are adapted to engage studs 45 on the edges of the headboard, as shown in Fig. 3 and as will be readily understood.

. It will thus be seen that We have provided a very simple and etlicient bed which may be easily adjusted to any desired position by an occupant or may be completely. folded when not in use. c Y

rlhe device will be found of especial value to hospitals7 but may, of course, be advantageouslyv employed in private homes.

l/Vhat we claim is 1. A folding' bed comprising a main frame, a head frame pivotally attached thereto at one side, ay foot frame pivotally attached to the opposite side of the main frame, and a bed bottom having a portion secured to the head frame and its remaining portion movable on and supported by the footframe.

2. A folding bed Vcomprising Va main frame, a foot frame pivoted thereto at one side, a head frame pivoted to the op-posite side of the main frame, a bed botto-m having 

